Robert Kirkman on The Walking Dead Games

Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead Franchise, is pleased by what Telltale Games has done with the video game adaptation. "Like everybody who's played it I'm fairly impressed by what they've been able to do," Kirkman said in an interview with IGN. "Being able to take a more storytelling approach to it and make it an interactive experience that tells a more in-depth story than the average action game is something that's much more in line with what The Walking Dead is about, and also brings a very unique gameplay experience...I'm really quite taken with it."

Thematically, The Walking Dead comics are a bit depressing, dark and brooding. It's a world where a day without the survivors suffering utter despair is a godsend. When it came to the game, many people wondered how Telltale, known for quirky comedic games like Sam & Max and the Back to the Future adventure games, would be able to handle it. "The thing about The Walking Dead is the huge emotional component," said Kirkman. "I sometimes like to joke that it's tricking dudes into watching a soap opera...it's about human loss, making decisions and coming together as a community for the cause of survival. It's more about the struggle to survive than it is about the zombies chasing you or trying to eat you." Anyone who's played the first two episodes will likely agree that Telltale's nailed both the emotional and decision making components of The Walking Dead experience, something Kirkman said "we've been able to keep very much intact in the game."

When you read The Walking Dead comics or play the game, it's readily apparent that the world Kirkman's created is a terrible place to be. Humans treat one another in horrific ways, something Kirkman is inspired to build just by reflecting on the life we live every day. "A big part of it is my horrible outlook on life. I like to always dwell on the negative and see the bad side of things...I feel like I'm very analytical and, uh, very depressed," said Kirkman when I asked about where he's coming from with these stories."I'm mostly joking," he quickly added. Kirkman draws inspiration from all forms of media, and pays attention to the ways that people treat each other now -- which to him isn't all that great. He then imagines a world where things are much, much worse.

It makes sense that the games stay true to the tone and themes of The Walking Dead comics, since both take place within the same canon. The surviving group in the game just happens to live in the same geographical area as the group in the early parts of the comics, something Kirkman said was done "to make sure [the game] had elements of the comic book series and was something that could be important to hardcore Walking Dead fans." Sure, he could have used the actual characters from the comics, but he would have had to shoehorn in side stories that would have cheapened the narrative of the books.

Characters from the comics have appeared in the episodes of the game released so far, but since the comics have moved geographically and chronogically way ahead of the games, I decided to ask Kirkman if he thought any game characters could cross over into the comics. He was a bit hesitant to answer. "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves," he said. "We don't know who lives or dies in this game because it hasn't wrapped up yet. But we'll just have to see what the future holds." When pressed further about crossovers he simply said "It's unlikely. Let's just admit that."

For more on Telltale's The Walking Dead, why not read our review of Episode One and Two?